Mother's Day Giveaway Winner and Tributes

Thanks to all of you who entered our giveaway and for your thoughtful answers. The winner is......

Varsha, who said:

"The one moment that transformed me from a woman to a mom was the time when I felt my son's hairy cheeks for the first time. He was frail and small but was so peaceful in my arms as if he knew already he could trust me."

If you didn't win, but would like to purchase the Lamaze stroller or infant seat, they are available for purchase at Babies R Us nationwide. A portion of each purchase supports the Lamaze International mission to help moms and babies have the safest, healthiest birth possible.

We hope everyone enjoyed their Mother's Day. For more motherly inspiration, we'd like to share some of the awesome responses to our giveaway question: "For moms-to-be, what are you most looking forward to in your new role as mom? For moms-that-are, when was the first moment you realized that you were, in fact, a mom?"

Hearing that fast little hearbeat always makes if feel the most "real" to me. I was a mother months before our children were born. --Twila

Motherhood became real for me 32 years ago. I had just given birth to my daughter and although the hospital offered rooming-in, the nurse took my baby to the nursery for a few minutes. I distinctly heard Michaela crying and slowly made my way down the hall and around a few corners. The nurse met me as I was almost at the nursery door and said she was just bringing her back to me. When I replied that I heard her crying, she looked at me with surprise. There must have been 6 other little ones in there, all crying for their moms. She couldn't belive that I knew my child's cry. I wasn't surprised at all. That's when I really knew that although I was very young, I was indeed a mom.Now my babies are having babies and I'm the grandmother of 4, with one just a few weeks old and a new baby coming in a few weeks. Being a mom doesn't end when your kids grow up. If you are as lucky as I am, you get to watch your own kids raise their families and that is as real as it gets. BTW, if I win, the stroller and car seat go to the two newest grandkids! --Julie

I think the moment that I realized I really was a mom was when my younger toddler was sick with the flu and was throwing up& he threw up all over me, ALL over me& and I didn't even care, I just felt sad for him. Which is very, very unlike me. --Courtney

I'm a mom-to-be with our first little one due in October. I change what things I am looking forward to, but constant is looking forward to looking our new family member in the eyes and meeting them in person for the first time, and getting to introduce them to their lovely Dad. --Yvonne

I knew I was a mom the first time I had to wake up to feed my son. I realized that there was this little person that needed and trusted me for everything. --Amanda

Although every ultrasound and heartbeat made me feel closer to being a mom, I think I was still a little surprised when there was actually a baby who came out of my body! Looking into my little one's eyes moments after delivery I knew that I would do anything for this precious little one. When I REALLY knew I was a mom was the day I had to heat up my cup of tea three separate times and still found it in the microwave the next morning, never actually having had a chance to sit down and drink it! --Lynn

I realized I was a mom the first time I was completely alone with my newborn son. It was the moment I realized that I had no immediate backup! --Yvonne

I can't wait to experience the kind of love only a mother can have for her child! I've been waiting my whole life to become a mother and now it's happening in a couple weeks! --Debbi

I first realized I was a mom when I had everyone else referring to me as Mommy. How weird it was to hear that word in reference to myself at first. I finally got used to it and now have four little ones who call me mom. Not so weird to hear it now. =) --Aimee

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